Nintendo Files for a Nintendo 64 Trademark, is a Nintendo 64 Mini Coming?

Nintendo apparently filed for a trademark in Europe via the European Union Intellectual Property Office. Four applications were filed for a variety of video game console controllers, including one for the Nintendo 64's controller. The trademark has kicked off speculation that a Nintendo 64 mini is at least in the cards for Nintendo. Given the success of the NES and SNES Classic, this also feels like a no-brainer.

The trademarks were filed on July 18 of this year and were spotted by users on NeoGAF. The trademarks include applications for the N64 Controller, NES controller, SNES controller, and Nintendo Switch controller. They are all listed under the same goods and services which includes, among other things, "Telecommunication machines and apparatus", "Electronic Storage media recorded with programs for arcade video game machines", and "Parts and accessories for consumer video game apparatus; Controllers and joysticks for consumer video game apparatus".

The trademarked logo image for the Nintendo 64 controller is even similar to the NES Classic logo found atop the NES Classic box.

The trademark move is similar to one Nintendo filed for the SNES controller in December 2016. Months later, Nintendo announced the SNES Classic. While it's also possible that Nintendo is just covering its bases, at this point it's clear that Nintendo is having a great run with its line-up of mini consoles. A Nintendo 64 Mini is the next logical step, probably followed by a GameCube Mini, and leading all the way up to a...Nintendo Switch mini?

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#1 SIGGYZtar A year ago

That would be interesting, as Nintendo 64 emulation isn't running at 100% even on the Wii U.

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#2 Wellman2nd A year ago

I hope they can get the licensing for at least one of the WWE games and two Rare classics in the form of Banjo Kazooie and Goldeneye 007. A N64 classic without a wrestling game or the better Rare games is not a great or even good representation of the N64.

#3 SargeSmash A year ago

It also wouldn't surprise me if it means they're going to bring back another run of the NES Classic at some point.Edited July 2017 by SargeSmash

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#4 KaiserWarrior A year ago

Cool, another machine for them to deliberately under-produce in the name of keeping the brand-value high.

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see an N64 mini, though they're going to have to step up their hardware -- as SIGGYZtar said, even the Wii U can only handle a select few N64 games, and the 64 is notoriously finnicky to emulate at the end-user level with things like Glide wrappers involved.

Though I think that'll about be the end of it. Though GameCube emulation is possible, I don't think the hardware necessary to do so would represent a profitable margin for Nintendo -- Sure, the Switch is supposedly going to be able to do it to some degree, but the Wii U didn't support it in Wii mode, and I can't see them selling micro-Switches at a price that consumers will tolerate and still leave room for profit. At that point you might as well just get a Switch.

#5 The-Challenger A year ago

I guess this will be the last of the mini console's. I guess they could always reproduce the handhelds in a similar fashion. Right now I'm struggling to think of at least 10 Nintendo 64 games I want to replay, let alone 20+.Edited July 2017 by The-Challenger

#6 SargeSmash A year ago

@The-Challenger : I have my doubts they'd put 20 on there, anyway. I'm guessing the number would drop to 15, perhaps.

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#7 Wellman2nd A year ago

@SargeSmash I can think of more games could go on but there are more hurdles with the N64 library. Many of its best games were either licensed such as Rogue Squadron, WWE No Mercy or made by now MS owned Rare or in case of arguably one of the top 3 games on the system Goldeneye 007 both.

They would probably have a easier time filling out GameCube Classic with 20+ games.

#8 The-Challenger A year ago

@SargeSmash Yeah, even 15 seems a bit high. I wonder if they have a translated English script for Animal Forest 64.

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#9 MetManMas A year ago

While I'm personally not particularly interested in a Nintendo 64 mini, it should be a fun time for the two or three people who can both get together four controllers for the unit and three friends who are very forgiving of early janky 3D multiplayer games.

Probably won't see any Rare games other than *groan* Donkey Kong 64, though. The N64's lacking 3rd party support in the day (even moreso on VC) and the whole Microsoft owning Rare thing are gonna hurt its appeal compared to the previous two units.

#10 LBD_Nytetrayn A year ago

Five games and four controllers. ;P

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#11 MetManMas A year ago

@SargeSmash My guess is it'll probably be about a dozen games. Probably be a lot more first party focused than previous units too, thanks to the Rare Embargo and the general lack of 3rd party games on Virtual Console. There's like, Ogre Battle 64, Harvest Moon 64 (on Wii U), and one of the Bombermans on the VC service.

And while I know the upcoming SNES mini has games that were never on VC ( the Star Fox games and SNES Yoshi's Island), I doubt we'll be seeing Konami digging up its Controller Pak requiring lineup of varying quality or Capcom bringing its comprised PlayStation ports to this one.

#12 Outrider A year ago

@MetManMas While I'd love to see Konami put something like the Goemon games on an N64 mini, I don't know if they're popular enough to warrant it.

The one thing I figure, though, is considering they put Star Fox 2 on the SNES mini, I would be shocked if Sin & Punishment wasn't included on an N64 mini. The game was already mostly in English to the point where many people were importing it back in the day because there was no meaningful language barrier.

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